Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-03-31
LlfE IN NEW YORK.
Some Industrial Aspects-A Dressmakers'
Ball Described.
[snecial Cofrespondence.l

Some Industrial Aspects-A D~ressnnakers'
Ball Described.
special Cofrespondencel
NEW York, March THE other day I
wanted some sewing done, and determined to
try and find some nice, middle aged woman
a widow-who kept a little thread and needle
store OH Third avenue and took in sewing |
when ! lived farther down town than now, |
and who at that time did a great deal of the
plain sewing of my family. Mrs. b.
was a very small and very quiet woman, who
had been left a widow with three children
and an aged mother to take care of under
circumstances that seened as hopeless as they
well could be. But she acquired a little money |
from the fund of a society of which her husband
was a member, and with this she bought
a small stock of thread and needles, tape,
ribbons and paid a months rent in advance |
for her little store and rooms. Her mother ,
took care of the children and helped with the
work of the house, while Mrs. B. took charge
of the store and sewed, when not waiting
upon customers, from morning till night. The
children occasionally helped in the store out
of school hours, but their mother was
ambitious for them, and the most indefatig-
able worker, for such a little bit of a woman,
you ever saw.
Years went on; the children had grown
into young man and w~omanhood; the little
mother looked older and paler, but kept the
store and sewed as industriously as ever. All
the time that was not claimed by customers
was spent in making garments which were
displayed in the window and sold to the poor
women of the neighborhood, for themselves
and their children. She had also added to
her stock such materials as were used in
making undergarments, aprons, wrappers
Il mud tho 1tiya ,,,I tLA ~,,o1f, -rna 90 oN~l
the price so moderate that many Of her
patrons preferred to have her furnish the
goods as well as the workmanship, and thus
d a small profit to her modest charges. Her
daughters had grown into very nice looking
> girls. They were never seen upon the street,
but SO rarely in the little shop that neighbors
began to make remarks and consider it "a
shame" with the sympathetic benevolence
that SC many people exhibit In attending to
othsr peoples affairs.
But the little woman, who had yer
changed the fashion of her plain black dress
and white apron, took no notice. She had
determined that her daughters should go
through normal college, and they did, grad
uating with honor. She had determined that
her boy should go .through the New York
college, and he did; but somewhat to her dis
appointment, decided to go into business, in
stead of finishing up at Columbia or Harvard,
as she had hoped. About this time her
mother died, and l left that part of town. I
heard nothing of her for several. years, ex-
espt that the store had been given up and the
young people had all obtained positions--the
boy as a clerk down town, the girls as teachers
in the preparatory department of the college.
When / rung the bell of the neat little
house, on a side street, the other day, where I
mad peent tod Mrs. d. lived, a clean but
uiaihulse uefntah niaia serVah' opened 1he
oooi, anu IN repiy 10 my inquiry asked me 10
Walk hto the parlor. LII was q pretty room,
SIMPLY lurnlshea, puG with DOCKS ana late
hiasaAii'es upon ohe tante. l haruiy liked 70
sCaSe my etranu 10 MIS-. .. When she en-
oereo' onougn enere was iietle olierence' IN
nef apPeaiahce. one SUN wore a pain piacK
aress, oue one apron had disappeared, ana her
lace was qulte Tree from me restrained look
OF care WHICH AoTIneIiy Possesseu II.
No, ! 10 Hoe TAKE IA any more sewing" she
sala, hieply 1oihy inquiry. y managed 70
purchase ana pay iof TINS little house before !
gave up, assisted by a sfnan sum ie1t me by
my Hiotnef. Inc guns are pom oeachlng, are
very hucn inheu aio uhe peso aaughters IN
ene worp.' Snaiie mas ooGaihea u me posi-
eioh as trusted al!!q t{ ~eco2nu Is cterK IN 2
large business MOUSE, ana tnefs is no longer
n necesshyior my eaTnlngs by the needie.'
sne oid nov seem 20 reahze any great change
prooaoiy alushos ieei any, poupLess she
sun ooes Pne ewing for me nousehoid, makes
shisior ShatAe anu heips ene girls- 70
keep their "ardfopes IN good condition. But
one rug IS over she conquered difficulties
WIN tne most slender OF weapons. the needle.
pue WIN neioc pasience anu oeYoaon ane
mas her reward III ehe care, one security, the
una, ioye when renders ner closing years the
prlgheese Oh ner me.
mere IS a ~aressnakers union IN New 1orh
-noIlasnionanle aressn,akers, not those who
I'VE IN lashlonaoie siae streets up town anc
import costumes winch cost several hundred
donafs, nor even ohose VINO i've III the region
q lexington avenue, keep mouse and main
yam q more or less proud constituency, hu'
the kard working RANG and file OF dress
makers, Wno earn q nvlng and ask no odds o.
anynody. ms union gave a ball the Other
evening invited taeif TRENDS, PAID the ex
penses ana would nave resented any llnputa
uon orshoe pelng perfectly competent tt
| 90 SO, 4|fH-. ESs. i.